Markovski: There was polyurethane foam on the Puls ceiling, expert tells court
The engineer said the foam burned completely and that the finding rests on photos, video and other expert results
Goran Markovski, a professor at the Faculty of Civil Engineering in Skopje and an expert witness in the trial over the Puls nightclub fire, told the court that it is indisputable that polyurethane foam had been installed on the venue’s suspended ceiling, even though investigation teams did not recover physical fragments of that foam because it had burned away.
Expert: finding rests on images and other analyses
Markovski said the absence of foam samples at the scene is explained by the fact that “the entire foam burned, and practically foam remnants that could serve for structural expertise could not be found in the building, despite the fact that we tried for hours to obtain them.” He added the conclusion in the expert report is based on photographic documentation, video footage, results of other forensic analyses and traces found inside the premises.
Asked whether the laboratory samples could have come from other polymer materials in the venue rather than the polyurethane foam, Markovski maintained his assessment that polyurethane foam had been fitted to the suspended ceiling. “It is evident and indisputable that on the suspended ceiling the foam you refer to was installed. Both from photos and from videos that were provided to us. But that foam can also be present in other elements, which further aggravates the situation and demonstrates the carelessness and failure to observe proper material use in such types of premises. For us it is indisputable that polyurethane foam was installed on the suspended ceiling,” he said.
On the speed with which the fire spread, the expert said the assessment relied on several sources. “This assessment is based on conversations held with the Kocani Fire Brigade, on videos that were available on social networks and provided to us, and on knowledge of the behavior of these materials in case of fire,” Markovski told the defence counsel for the first accused, Dejan Jovanov‑Deko.
During questioning the professor also addressed the venue’s construction works, including reinforcement carried out in 2012. He told the court that the anchoring was executed on a floor slab rather than a foundation slab because the building did not have a foundation slab. “First, the anchoring, that is the support, was not performed on a foundation slab, but on a floor slab, because the building does not have a foundation slab. Whether the columns are anchored into the slab or not is irrelevant for the role intended, and that purpose was to secure the slab, the reinforced concrete slab, according to the project with a thickness of 12 centimeters, from the new usable load that arises from the illegal repurposing of the building into a nightclub,” the professor said.
Relatives of victims reacted in court. Aleksandar Naunov, father of one of the deceased children, told reporters the expert report is clear and well‑argued and underlined that it does not only describe the state of the building but also points to failures by competent authorities. “For us, the parents and families of the deceased young children, it is especially important that the expert report does not stop only at the condition of the building, but also points to the shortcomings of the competent authorities, those who had legal responsibilities and obligations to act. And that is precisely the essence. The defense is trying to challenge the expert report, but attacking the experts does not erase the documents, facts and established omissions,” he said.
Naunov added: “This building did not operate for a single day, therefore it must be established how it was possible for it to operate and where were the institutions that had a legal duty to act. We do not seek convictions without evidence, we demand that no one hide behind their office, institution or someone else's jurisdiction. Everyone who had a duty to act and did not act must be held accountable! If the evidence confirms that, for our 63 angels we will not accept the silencing of any omission. The truth must be complete, and responsibility must have a name and surname.”
The trial is being presided over by Judge Dijana Gruevska‑Ilievska; the indictment is presented by a team of 15 public prosecutors. The blaze at the Puls nightclub in Kocani occurred on 16 March 2025 during a performance by the group DNK; 63 people died and more than 200 were injured.
Photo: EPA-EFE/GEORGI LICOVSKI
